Advanced Football Analytics

This week, we go back into the AFA Podcast archives to revisit an interview with Jeff Sagarin and Wayne Winston, two longtime friends that have made a lasting impact on the field of sports analytics. Dave talks with Jeff Sagarin and Wayne Winston about their four decades of work in the field of sports statistics. Wayne and Jeff met while studying together at MIT and have been friends ever since. In the early 80’s, they had their first collaboration on a football play-calling project for Indiana University’s head football coach, Sam Wyche. Since then, Jeff has been publishing his team ratings in USA Today while Wayne published his book, “Mathletics“, and currently teaches at Indiana’s Kelly School of Business. During the show Jeff and Wayne discuss the history of their friendship, from playing dice based football board games in their dorm rooms to their current work as professional statisticians. Jeff gives his thoughts on how the BCS computer rankings have changed in re